Interview. Looking at the profiles of other junior tenants on the chambers website can be a sobering experience. However, as is so often pointed out, resilience is key and rejections are a natural part of such a competitive process, so, its something you have to try and get used to. Nor does it matter a jot when youre in front of a judge or jury pleading the unwinnable case (or worse, the eminently winnable). Part of the Dukes Education family Together we're extraordinary. So dont strain yourself stretching for originality; aim for simple honest sincerity. Oh, and under no circumstances ask, Did I get the job?! So incredible, that I had to divide the article into two parts: the first article (this one) focuses on tips from silks (essentially a view from the top); and the second article, which will be released in the near future (so keep a look out! And dont give up on your passion, no matter what happens. Applying for pupillage has dominated my Januarys and Februarys for the past two years and I wanted to share one incredibly frustrating experience I have had following the latest round of applications/interviews. You should also be aware of the changes affecting the regulation of the profession so, in addition to the news websites, keep up to date with publications by the Bar Standards Board (BSB). Copyright 2023 Legal Cheek Ltd. All Rights Reserved. You will be expected to know it off by heart and you must be prepared to answer questions about anything you have included. To describe a time you had to act on your own initiative, draw on your experiences to clearly demonstrate the problem or challenge you faced, how you overcame it and the result of your actions. Pupillage | Doughty Street Chambers This will include looking at the feedback of other practitioners, the structure and development of your pupillage and the requirements of the Professional Statement. Its important to know your CV inside-out and to be prepared to demonstrate hard evidence of how your skills can add value to the chambers you are interviewing with. See the videoPupillage Interviews Uncovered II. Tip 3: When it comes to the actual interview, different chambers have different modes of interview. P - Passion When you are in an interview and you meet someone who is genuinely interested and engaged, it makes such a big difference. There are a million variables that may influence your chances in any given interview. The cookie helps in reporting and personalization as well. The purpose of this cookie is to synchronize the ID across many different Microsoft domains to enable user tracking. Hopefully there arent many chambers asking this sort of thing anymore. Tip 2: Try to be up to date with the main news stories, in case you are asked about them, and in particular any recent news with a legal connection. This does not mean to say you will not be brilliant in another application or another career if you decide to move, but failure is just something you are going to have to get used to mortifying, humiliating and painful as it is, because it will be part of your working life. In addition to typical pupillage interview questions, you could be asked ethical or legal questions covering a wide range of current affairs. Mine certainly did, as I was sure I did not want to do crime, but it turns out I love advocacy and my criminal pupillage meant for daily fun and excitement. However, in most cases the selection process will include a practical exercise and an interview (usually two). This question is deliberately asked to assess your commitment to the Bar. If your form includes reference to specific cases you enjoyed studying or were interesting to research on a mini, or even a topic you wrote a dissertation on, expect to be asked more about that. Reflect on them, learn from them, and move on. This is not intended to be a trial by ordeal where they are being mean to advocates to see what ability they have to withstand difficult situations. Your CV counts for absolutely nothing when youre sitting in a cell opposite a screaming heroin addict who has stabbed his cellmate in the eye and is threatening to exact upon you his frustration that his solicitor hasnt been to visit him. This, Im afraid, is the reality. Try to react positively and dont be afraid to stick to your point. (Life at the Bar is much the same.) Tagged: pupillage, pupillageapplications, pupillagegateway, pupillageinterview, bptc, btc, aspiringbarristers, aspiringbarrister, silk, junior, establishedpractitioners, theBar. They want you to give the right answer and to respond well to their questions. Secondly, consider seeking feedback from sets which reject you, especially if you were . Bewigged and Bewilderedby Adam Kramer QC includes a lot of extremely helpful information, including as to what the various practice areas involve. This cookie is used by vimeo to collect tracking information. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. But it shouldnt be beyond your wit to come up with a couple, just to keep the conversation flowing. You have the advantage of the panel when it comes to your interviews. But there will almost always be a tangential diversion into matters of non-law, often preceded by a vicious, Tell us more about yourself. Its important to prepare questions for the chambers with which you are interviewing. Remember, if you are a member of Inner Temple you can contact the Education & Training Department to apply for a mock interview under the Inn's Mock Interview Scheme. They know what is on their website. O - Open minded Some people might feel like they have no idea what type of law they want to get into, so they might opt for a general common law type pupillage (which is much more normal outside of London). Used by Microsoft as a unique identifier. Then some basic questions like "Where do you see yourself in 5 years". For the most part, the truthful answer will be: Because you are a chambers, any chambers, and I would literally accept a pupillage in a chambers run by bees at this moment in time. Again, its a nasty question that interviewers know is near-impossible to answer. Occasionally, some chambers will offer pupillages to start in that year. These questions arent asked to catch you out, but rather to assess how you would respond on the spot. One set referred to this as "sparkle". You have got to be curious. Think of something non-legal (to demonstrate your glorious diversity) on which you have personal experience or strongly-held views, and have it wrapped up and ready to fire in the event it is called upon. This cookie is used to store the language preferences of a user to serve up content in that stored language the next time user visit the website. But from my understanding, and certainly in our set, it is much more common to have a structured problem-based interview than it is to have a general interview that asks questions about an interviewee's interests etc. So remember, it is not important what the first answer you give is, but how you respond to questions after in the course of the interview. This cookie is installed by Google Analytics. Make sure you know which areas of law they specialise in, which may be more specialised than just commercial or public law. T - True You must be true to yourself. Debate-Related Pupillage Interview Questions. Recognise your achievement. Use the information you get to relate it to your own skills and experience, so that answers you give (a) are informed and credible and (b) provide evidence you personally meet their selection criteria. You cannot control what they interviewers say and what they think. These exercises are meant to simulate what might happen in court or at a tribunal. However, despite this, I found out that I had been unsuccessful at 3pm on 7 May by email, having stared obsessively at my phone all day, waiting to learn of the decision. Be ready to offer a balanced view with respect to both sides of the argument, particularly on political stories. If youre asked this question, you should take one aspect of Brexit that you are familiar with and give a well-structured answer as to how that one aspect has changed UK law. Its important to clearly explain why you have chosen a specific law to change and draw on oral and written advocacy skills to argue your reason for changing that law. Tip 3: Be nimble. There are a million variables that may influence your chances in any given interview. The __gads cookie, set by Google, is stored under DoubleClick domain and tracks the number of times users see an advert, measures the success of the campaign and calculates its revenue. Dont be intimidated. 10 Examples Of Interview Feedback You Can Use. Tip 5: You will be nervous (if you are human), but try to relax and be normal, without being matey or inappropriately informal. You would need to answer this question honestly and remain true to your convictions. Chambers are only able to interview a small minority of applicants. So make sure you understand what is expected of you so that you perform to that expectation. Its all bollocks of course. Action Next, describe the specific actions that you took as a team and the contribution you made individually. candidates for interview; and 7 May: Pupillage offers are made. The pupillage interview process how best to prepare for your pupillage I understand that members of chambers give up their very precious time to sift through applications and conduct interviews, but I do not consider it unreasonable for candidates to expect feedback when they have made it so far through the recruitment process. Even though it will probably feel very unequal, the interview should be as much an opportunity for you to think about whether you want to be surrounded by the people interviewing you and the ethos of the chambers. The standard CV drill, so know your CV well and describe your experiences. This is a question that genuinely seeks to discover how a chambers can best help you develop if there is an aspect of pupillage you could find difficult. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. In addition to pupillage questions, you may be asked to undertake practical exercises as part of your pupillage interview process. The feedback will help you identify any gaps in an application. Your response to some questions will be deliberately challenged by the interview panel. The interview procedures adopted by chambers can be very varied. Its boring but it works. The post Aspiring barrister uses GDPR regs to secure pupillage interview feedback appeared first on Legal Cheek. When you spend countless hours writing and reviewing applications, preparing for interviews, and then waiting anxiously to hear back from chambers, I feel that providing feedback to candidates that are unsuccessful at interview (particularly a second-round interview), should be a minimum requirement. There is no way I would have gotten silk because I simply had not set the memory track between my brain and my tongue to let the words come out with the ease with which I had them in my head. Here are ten examples of interview feedback that you can use in interviews in different situations: When the candidate in . 1. What is a CPS Pupillage and How Do I Get One? Others might feel like they know what they want to do and may opt for very niche areas. Even if its something as simple as, Roughly how long does it take for your junior tenants to start appearing regularly in the Crown Court? If you really cant think of a good question, dont ask a bad one. You must join an inn before you qualify as a barrister. Talking to friends and others who are either applying at the same time or who have just done it. Zaid Ibrahim & Co Pupillage Interview Questions | Glassdoor This is usually shown through your academic achievements and publications. The best barristers demonstrate a high-level of competency. The question is asked to assess how clearly and concisely you can provide an explanation for something that requires logical thinking in the moment. The ANONCHK cookie, set by Bing, is used to store a user's session ID and also verify the clicks from ads on the Bing search engine. Your interview is a chance for you to demonstrate advocacy under pressure. 'I have my first pupillage interview. Any advice?' - Legal Cheek Current affairs can have a huge bearing on UK law. Go with the flow. If youve done a mini-pupillage at that chambers, that will help formulate a complimentary response. None, Im afraid, will stand you out in the memory of the panel. Competency is not all about how you perform as a barrister, its also about how you react in the face of adversity. Even if the topic is your Mastermind subject, you win no points for speed. This will help you to learn from your interview experience, so that next time, you have a greater chance at success. 4. Some sets will hold only one interview for pupillage candidates, but most will hold two. Do not worry about how you come across. Typically, sets will have first and second round interviews. Discover what a first-round pupillage interview really looks like. When you want to apply for pupillage you need to factor in where you are in your studies and what All of the above. The juniors gave very thorough comments on one of my failed pupillage applications. However, as long as you prepare properly for a pupillage interview, there's always a chance that you're the lucky applicant. Interview. This just puts unnecessary pressure on you. but if you don't do them, you will miss out on crucial feedback. Questions around current affairs are asked to assess how well you keep up with issues that have a bearing on the legal profession. Your answer should be sincere, and perhaps you can draw on your experiences of seeing a good barrister in action in Court who you thought demonstrated great character when handling a difficult case. 5. Here is a short list of competencies for the Bar: Getting into the Bar requires resilience, adaptability and determination. If, for example, you see something on the chambers website about an individual barrister, or a blog or news section that particularly appealed to you, these are the sorts of things you should think about talking about. Through my blog, I share information I wish I had access to back in the day. Be familiar with the areas of law that the set practises in and rehearse how to advocate your case for how its work ties in with your own interests and skills. I call it the Constable Quotient. It is also acceptable to ask for a minute to compose yourself as a rushed answer looks worse than asking for time to think about your answer. Be yourself. In terms of nerves that turn into panic, I think there are three solutions. Stuart Withers on Twitter: "Some pupillage interview feedback. 1 What separates you from the herd in the eyes of the interviewers is often wholly arbitrary and unexpected. Legal Cheek has reviews and ratings of many sets (some specifically from a pupillage perspective). The second is developing a solution which you know helps you to calm down this is different for everyone. Chambers will expect you to provide details and develop points; they will be put off by vague and unclear answers. If you are unsuccessful at interview, always ask for feedback so that you . Unstructured answers are apt to confuse, or to suggest confused thinking. And if it doesnt work out, there are plenty of other more interesting and worthwhile jobs to do. There may also be limited notice or preparation time (eg, you may be sent the task 20 minutes to an hour before the interview itself). If the Set interviewing you does not go for it, then they are not the right Set for you. Can you deal with difficult questions from the panel? Pupillage interview preparation. My carefully crafted applications have been sent out into the ether, landing in the laps of barristers up and down the country to be sifted through and sorted into piles of 'yes', 'no' and 'never in a million years'. But you only need one good interview, so dont beat yourself up too much about the ones that go badly. Value yourself a. Pupillage Interviews (Part 1): Top Tips from Eight Silks Have confidence in yourself! PDF Kalisher Trust Preparation for pupillage interviews Tuesday 23 February Similarly a candidate with a 2(ii) may score highly in the other category and be shortlisted for interview. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. SA'AD'S TOP TIPS INCLUDE: Tip 1: If you get through the pupillage application stage and you are now preparing for a pupillage interview, well done. Recently, in a series of tweets on the @ExcPupillage account some of my top tips for pupillage interview preparation were shared. You will always do your best when you are relaxed and enjoying the challenge with which you are faced. Your judgment and powers of advocacy are the skills that cant be reflected on pornographic CVs, and are the ones that matter most. At my first ever interview, I span a fluffy cat story about how I was inspired by the story of somebody I met on a mini-pupillage, and how I aspired to tread in their footsteps. A common interview trick is to ask you to argue one side of a debate, before immediately inviting you to argue the opposite. The cookie is set by the email marketing service MailChimp. As a result, chambers can be highly individualistic. Articulate and perfect them. Check the news for law angles. This is really important because it completely changes the tone of how you present. Read publications and websites such as. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. I beg you not to answer a question about a case which you have said fascinated you the poor interviewer is trying to give you a chance to show off here - by saying it was a year ago and you cant really remember. When the Pupillage Gateway slams shut and chambers began reading the mass of application forms electronically thrust before them in a bid to sift, sort and filter into a carefully selected list of the chosen few who they want to meet in person. Task Then specify the task meaning the outcome you were trying to achieve. Theyre trying their best to enable you to shine its in their interests for everyone to be on best form, right? littlelegsldn. One round of interviews, often the first, may be short and focused on a specific skill such as advocacy or may be focused on a set of questions that are being asked to every candidate. To give you another illustration, we always say "our problems are not a test of your legal knowledge". Give yourself a pat on the back because it means you are doing something right. We only interview pupillage candidates who have completed, or been offered, a mini-pupillage in Chambers. This is to see how you cope under pressure. This is intended to assess how you perform under pressure. The Pupillage Interview/Acceptance/Rejection Thread 2023 Watch The third is remembering that although interviews always feel like the panel are trying to trip you up or trick you, theyre not. Where one argument is going nowhere, pivot to a better one. . I was so bad because I thought I had the answers in my head, but I had not practised getting them out. It does not correspond to any user ID in the web application and does not store any personally identifiable information. Dont rely on the same example for every question, but demonstrate how you have shown intellect, flexibility, determination, teamwork, research skills, oral advocacy, persuasion, and conflict resolution, among other skills. But because that is the case, expecting people to be in the same country, let alone close vicinity, that far in . Well the Pupillage gateway website has opened for viewing. You might be able to access the Times online via law library subscriptions or your Inn. When you are applying to the Bar, you have to understand that it is an incredibly competitive business, against very able people, who will all want the same things as you, and will have the same skills that they are trying to deploy as you. Take a moment to think about the question that you have been asked before answering. A crucial element of the preparation for an interview is having the right mindset. I interviewed at Zaid Ibrahim & Co (Kuala Lumpur) in Feb 2023. Advocacy Panel: it is known as the advocacy panel because this set will favour peppering you with an advocacy . Do some research on the different types of tasks you might be given at a pupillage interview and practise them too. The disdain from the panel was palpable. According to student feedback, the most common exercise is an advocacy test of some description, or a presentation. If you are applying to criminal sets, the Secret Barristers books are essential background reading. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Ask for feedback and compare your notes to the feedback you're given by the interviewer. Used by Microsoft Advertising as a unique ID for visitors. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the website is doing. Saying something like"I want to come to you because you are a great Set and you do landlord and tenant work", just is not enough. The . Tip 3: Be ready to talk about things on your CV in more detail, and also to explain any gaps there may be on your CV. . Application. Hold on to your good points tenaciously; concede your bad points gracefully. Perhaps role-play something similar with your friends. Very few people get pupillage on their first application. BTC graduate and aspiring barrister Kieran Alker recounts his frustrating experience and suggests a way to improve the process. You will then forget everything you went through before. So when you are asked questions, to probe your answer, it is really important not to think that this is not some underhand attempt to trap you to give a wrong answer and it is equally important not to think that changing your mind in response to a question or suggestion is always a bad thing or means that you are revealing some failing.
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